


The Brother of the Groom

by Nomme_dePlume



Series: A Dark Wedding Story [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Adultery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Deception, Explicit Language, F/M, Family, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-20 06:58:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16132034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nomme_dePlume/pseuds/Nomme_dePlume
Summary: “You looked very… comfortable with him, little brother. You expect me to believe there’s nothing going on between you two?”Sasuke glared at him and quickly turned his head to look out of the windows as he clicked his tongue. “I’ve never met him before.”Itachi raised his brow at that. “The way you were touching him seems to imply otherwise.”Sasuke turned back to face him, now with a smirk. “How could I not touch him?”~The continuation of a dark wedding story~





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I highly encourage you to start the series from the beginning, if you haven't already! ^_^

Itachi stood in Sasuke’s kitchen, swirling around the dregs of scotch in a crystal glass as he listened to the cook gush about how happy she was to be able to make all Sasuke’s favorite foods for his return. He smirked to himself, amused by how Sasuke’s staff always had a nice thing to say about his baby brother – when most of society found him a bit off-putting – and how loyal and fiercely protective they were of him – as demonstrated by their rather cold treatment of their parents and their slightly less cold treatment of himself. As for the Haruno heir – he’d not seen evidence of anything himself, but he did wonder just how this staff treated Sasuke’s girlfriend – now wife.

“Are you staying for dinner, Master Itachi?” Biwako asked as she stirred something in a rather large pot.

Itachi arched a fine black brow as he stared at the small amount of liquid at the bottom of his glass. “If Sasuke wishes,” he murmured. 

“I’m sure he’d be happy for your company,” she said, though he detected just the slightest bit of skepticism lacing her tone.

Before he could answer, Hiruzen pushed the door of the kitchen open, smiling at his wife before bowing slightly to Itachi. “Master Itachi, Young Master Sasuke’s car has arrived.”

“Thank you, Hiruzen,” Itachi said as he pushed himself up from where he leaned against the counter, placing his glass down before following Hiruzen from the kitchen. The door led right into the open space of the first floor. The formal dining table was immediately to his right – hardly used, as Sasuke did not often entertain – as was the first hallway that led to a couple of guest rooms.

Across the open space was a large seating area – an antique couch and matching chairs atop an oriental rug and backed by two walls of windows – and a second hallway that led to more guest rooms. The hardwood floors of the entire space were a matte dark brown – they didn’t gleam, but they were spotless and dust-free. And between the two hallways was the grand staircase – a pristine white that matched the house’s walls – that led up to the second floor and down to the front entrance.

Itachi stood at the bottom of the stairs as Hiruzen opened the front door just as Sasuke’s car rounded the fountain in the circle drive and stopped in front of the entrance. Asuma, Hiruzen’s son and Sasuke’s driver and body man, stepped out of the car and walked around the back to open the backdoor closest to the entrance. Itachi watched as Asuma helped Sakura from the car, and she walked into the open door and stopped, surprised to see him there, he guessed.

“Sakura, welcome back. I trust you had a good time,” he said.

Her lips twitched downward before a strained smile spread across her lightly glossed lips. “Hello, Itachi. It’s good to be back.”

Itachi didn’t miss how she didn’t agree that she’d had a good time, but he let it slide as she made to walk past him up the stairs. Before she’d even reached the fifth step, Sasuke’s maid appeared at Itachi’s elbow and cleared her throat politely.

“Mistress Sakura,” Ayame said, and Itachi noticed the tensing of Sakura’s shoulders as she froze and turned slightly to face them. “We have prepared a room downstairs for you. If you’d follow me.”

Sakura gaped at her, her lips trembling faintly. “I don’t understand,” she said quietly. “Sasuke’s room is upstairs.”

Ayame’s smile was cold and polite. “Young Master Sasuke thought you’d be more comfortable downstairs, especially as the months pass of your pregnancy and climbing stairs becomes difficult.” Sakura didn’t move. “This way, Mistress,” Ayame said, politely and firmly, her arm swinging out to direct Sakura.

Itachi watched as tears welled up in Sakura’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall, only straightened her posture and descended the few steps she’d taken and followed Ayame stiffly down the hall off the dining area. Interested in this exchange and its possible causes, Itachi turned his attention back to the door and watched as Sasuke finally exited the car, his cell phone to his ear. As he entered the house, Hiruzen closed the front door, and Sasuke continued up the stairs after a brief glance and nod at Itachi. 

Itachi followed Sasuke silently, tuning out his conversation as he took in the second floor. As they reached the second-floor landing, the stair railings continued to either side and encircled the open space overlooking the first floor. The entire second floor was covered in lush off-white carpet, and directly in front of him was another seating area – two navy loveseats and two matching chairs squaring a glass coffee table, and the back wall was floor to ceiling windows broken by French doors that led to a large balcony and outdoor seating area that overlooked the quaint rolling landscape and flowing brook in Sasuke’s backyard.

Directly on the other side was a large bay window that overlooked the front yard and drive. The entire side of the second floor on the right was Sasuke’s bedroom, and the entire side on the left was Sasuke’s office, into which Itachi followed his brother.

Sasuke’s office was fully equipped for him to run the company from his country estate. As he walked in, Itachi took in the full wall of windows in front of him – a common and unexpected theme in Sasuke’s décor. Sasuke’s large, ornate desk was to the left and close to the windows, backed by an entire wall of books – a makeshift library of sorts. Two leather chairs sat before the desk, and several feet behind them was yet another seating area – two leather loveseats and matching chairs squaring a black lacquer table. There was no lack of seating in Sasuke’s house, obviously.

To Itachi’s right was a recessed area, two steps down, in which sat a large conference table ringed by leather rolling chairs. In the middle of the table was a phone for Sasuke’s conference calls and connection cables for his computer, and on the wall was a large-screen television equipped to project his computer screen or hold video conferences, among other uses.

All in all, the house was idyllic – set on a remote country estate and designed to be filled with light, in opposition with Sasuke’s usually surly and dark demeanor. And though Sasuke had an apartment in the city for when work required proximity, it was here that Sasuke could be found more often than not. Itachi would never admit it aloud, but he rather envied his brother’s home.

Itachi was pulled from his thoughts by the clatter of Sasuke’s phone on his desk, and he turned to his brother and watched as he sighed and ran his hands through his hair, the bangs falling back into his face immediately. Itachi smirked and walked easily over to one of the chairs in front of the desk and sat. Sasuke sank into his own chair behind the desk.

“Itachi, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Itachi shrugged. “I just wanted to visit and catch up. How was the honeymoon?” Sasuke ignored the question, shuffling some papers around on his desk. “Sakura didn’t look too happy when I saw her just now,” he prodded.

“I would be concerned for her mental state if she _were_ happy right now.”

“Even if she had been, being shown to a guest room downstairs surely would have dampened her spirits.”

Sasuke sighed and leaned back into his chair. “Just get to what you want to say.”

Itachi frowned slightly, composing his words before finally saying, “Who was that man at the wedding reception?”

Sasuke didn’t move, didn’t even blink, just continued to stare at Itachi, leaned back in his chair and one arm resting across the desk. And then a thin black brow raised, and he asked, “Why?”

“Sasuke,” Itachi said quietly but sharply, “The fidelity clause applies to you, as well, and you know that. If you’re having an affair-”

“Itachi,” Sasuke interrupted in the same sharp tone. “I am not cheating on Sakura, nor have I ever cheated on her. Regardless of my feelings for her and the circumstances that brought us together, I understand the concepts of loyalty and fidelity.”

Itachi stared critically at Sasuke as he digested those words. Sasuke was not one to lie, but he had the skill to say things in a way that people could misinterpret. But Itachi could only take these words at face value, finding no hidden meaning, and he relaxed back into his chair. However…

“You looked very… comfortable with him, little brother. You expect me to believe there’s nothing going on between you two?”

Sasuke glared at him and quickly turned his head to look out of the windows as he clicked his tongue. “I’ve never met him before.”

Itachi raised his brow at that. “The way you were touching him seems to imply otherwise.”

Sasuke turned back to face him, now with a smirk. “How could I not touch him?” But then his smirk dropped into a pensive frown. “I had a lot to drink.”

“So it was the alcohol that made you flirt and touch a complete stranger on your wedding day in view of your family, friends, and bride?” Sasuke didn’t answer him, so Itachi took it for the ‘No’ he’d been expecting.

Itachi held back a sigh. It wasn’t that he disapproved of Sasuke’s bisexuality or the fact that he was only ever with Sakura because their father had involved Sasuke in his schemes – Itachi only wanted Sasuke to be happy. But, alcohol aside, Sasuke’s actions the other night at the reception were not normal, were completely out of character, and Itachi worried for Sasuke’s wellbeing. Of course Sasuke was unhappy with the situation – who wouldn’t be? But to act out like that?

“Well, as long as you’re not involved with this man,” Itachi said.

Sasuke glared at him. “That is none of your concern.”

Itachi returned the glare with a hard stare. “Sasuke, you’ve sacrificed too much on this scheme to ruin it now by cheating on your wife. And with a complete stranger who’s probably only interested in your money.”

“Naruto’s not like that,” Sasuke bit out, his hand fisted on his desk. “He didn’t even know who I am.”

Itachi didn’t comment on Sasuke letting slip the man’s name – it wasn’t a lot to go on, but Itachi had found people with less. Instead he said, “So you intend to keep company with this man?”

Sasuke was still glaring at him, but then his face smoothed out with a disturbing smirk – disturbing to Itachi because of how much sexual promise it held. “I won’t do anything to jeopardize Father’s deal. But when Sakura is no longer a problem, I’ll keep all the company with him as I please.”

“And you’re willing to face the suspicion from the Haruno family, your bride included, in the meantime for one night of passion?”

“It’ll be a night I won’t forget,” was Sasuke’s easy answer.

Itachi huffed out a laugh. “I am tempted to feel sorry for Sakura – that you’re lusting after another man while married to her. She’ll suffer so,” he said in mock compassion.

“Let her.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes in thought as he contemplated the desktop. If Sasuke had ever felt any positive feelings for the girl before this, that was no longer the case. Itachi felt no sympathy for her.

But he felt for his brother. Their family wasn’t big on talking and sharing feelings, so Itachi could only guess at what hurt his brother the most about this situation. 

Was it that the woman he’d been faithful to for years had betrayed him? Sure, he certainly didn’t love her – Itachi knew that for a fact – but Sakura had seemed genuinely in love with Sasuke, so to find that she could still be so duplicitous was probably a shock.

Was it that Sasuke was realizing, yet again, that he couldn’t attain what would make him happy because of this obligation to answer their father’s demands? Maybe he’d only be with this Naruto for one night, but that one night, if it was what Sasuke truly wanted, would undoubtedly bring him more happiness than this sham relationship that he’d been loyal to for so many years.

Or was it how Sakura – though unknowingly – was digging deep into a wound that Itachi was afraid would never heal for his brother? Again, they didn’t talk much, but Itachi was sure Sasuke held deep sadness over the fact that he couldn’t have children of his own, so for Sakura to announce his impending fatherhood with a bright smile and happy tears in front of both families…

“Stay for dinner, brother,” Sasuke said, bringing him from his thoughts.

“Is that wise? Sakura already seems unhappy about the sleeping arrangements. Would not having a private dinner with her husband add to the tension?”

Sasuke shrugged. “I am not in the mood to hear her stilted displeasure about not sharing my bed. Your presence fulfills two purposes.”

Itachi raised a brow. “Then I guess it will be my pleasure.”

A brief smile flitted over Sasuke’s lips before he turned his head to gaze out of the window again. “I’m sure it could be,” he said quietly.

Itachi’s questioning stare went unnoticed, so he changed the topic to something more work-related and quietly contemplated how he would go about finding this Naruto.

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Itachi stood before a large two-story home in one of the nicer neighborhoods in the city – not particularly high income, but certainly far from low income – and debated his next course of action.

“Naruto” was not a particularly common name, but with that being the only thing he had to go on – other than “blond” and “buff” – Itachi was not his usual one hundred percent confident he’d stumbled onto the right person: Naruto Uzumaki, moved here roughly five years ago, and lived with a relative. Other details were unavailable, which screamed “suspicious” to Itachi, because if there was one thing for which he paid his people an obscene amount of money, it was to find out information.

Making up his mind, Itachi stepped forward onto the porch and rang the doorbell. After several moments of silence, Itachi frowned and rang the doorbell again. From inside he heard a yelled, “Hold your fucking horses!” After a few more moments, he heard the locks disengaging, and the door swung open.

“Yeah?”

Itachi blinked. Before him stood a young woman with very vibrant red hair, most of it pulled back into a messy tail, though some escaped and hung around her face. She wore dark, horn-rimmed glasses, and a cigarette was pressed between her lips. The most eye-catching thing, however, was that she answered the door in nothing but a beige tank top and lime green underwear.

Remembering himself, Itachi straightened his shoulders and pasted on a placid smile. “Hello. I’m looking for Naruto Uzumaki. Is he available?”

The woman narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips tight around her cigarette before asking, “Who’s asking?”

“A friend of a friend.”

The woman snorted. “Uh huh. Okay, well, Mr. Friend of a Friend, Naruto doesn’t live here anymore.” She made to close the door, and Itachi quickly put out his hand to keep the door open.

“May I ask where?”

“A place in a building,” she said with a slight smirk.

Itachi refrained from sighing. “It is very important that I speak with him. You don’t have to tell me where he lives, but could you at least tell me where I might find him or provide a phone number?”

She casually reached up and took a puff off her cigarette before removing it from between her lips, her hand falling to her side. She let out the smoke in Itachi’s direction, though he refused to react to the disrespectful action. “This about that Sasuke guy?”

Itachi blinked, taken by surprise at her perception. “Yes,” he answered simply.

She grunted and frowned as her free hand came up to scratch at her head, dislodging a few more strands of red hair. “Look, I don’t really keep tabs on Naruto, you know? But he might be at work, at the library. Try there. If he’s not there, I can’t help you.” Itachi nodded his thanks, but before he could turn and leave, she said, “Listen, Mr. Friend of a Friend. I don’t know who you are or how you’re involved, but they’re big boys, yeah? You should probably stay out of it.”

Itachi smirked at her. “If they really were ‘big boys,’ as you put it, they wouldn’t have gotten themselves into this situation at all.” And he turned on his heel and walked away.

~*~

Itachi walked into the city’s only library, the lobby decked out in lush potted plants and brightly colored posters on trifolds encouraging kids to read. An information booth was to his right, what looked to be a high school student sitting behind it and scrolling through something on her phone.

Itachi approached the booth and cleared his throat. “Miss, do you know where I could find Naruto Uzumaki?”

The girl glanced up and put her phone down, a sweet smile curling her painted lips. “Sure. Naruto mans the reference desk on the second floor.” She looked at her phone for the time. “He’s got about fifteen more minutes of his shift. If he’s not at the desk, he’s probably re-shelving books. Just check the aisles.”

“Thank you,” he said and made his way to the stairs leading up to the next floor. He stopped on the second-floor landing and looked around, spotting the reference desk to his right and back a bit, behind large tables meant for readers and study groups.

As he walked that way, he saw a man sitting at the desk, head down and presumably reading something, who Itachi assumed to be Naruto Uzumaki, but Itachi quickly determined that the dim lighting of the hotel ballroom and the formal clothes had been the slightest bit deceptive. Naruto sat leaned forward, one arm up and a hand resting within his bright blond hair, a pair of glasses sitting low atop the bridge of his nose. He wore a short-sleeved black tee that stretched tightly over – what Itachi could only call – bulging muscles.

Naruto Uzumaki was _built_ , and Itachi had a disturbing look into his brother’s sex life as he wondered briefly whether Sasuke liked bottoming for or topping extremely buff men.

Shaking the thought from his mind, Itachi cleared his throat as he stopped in front of the desk. The man looked up at him over the rim of his glasses, showing off extremely unexpected blue eyes, and Itachi had another disturbing thought about how the man put a whole new spin on the sexy librarian fantasy.

“Naruto Uzumaki?” he asked.

“Who’s asking?” the blond returned. Itachi lifted a brow at the same rejoinder he’d received from the redhead.

“My name is Itachi Uchiha.”

The blond’s brows furrowed, as if he was trying to figure out if he knew him or not, and Itachi watched as a look of recognition flashed through his eyes. “Uchiha, huh? I take it you’re not here for a book on naval maneuvers in the South Pacific.”

Itachi kept his lips from dipping down into a frown. Not exactly the reaction he had been expecting. “I was hoping I could have a few moments of your time to talk.”

Naruto’s eyes lowered to his phone that sat next to an open book, his thumb pressing the home button to show him the time. “I have ten more minutes.”

“There is a café nearby. I can meet you there,” Itachi offered.

Naruto just stared at him for a moment before sighing and sitting up. He closed his book, and then he stood, removing his glasses as he did so. Itachi hid his surprise as Naruto stood to his full height, showing that he towered a good three inches over Itachi’s six-foot frame. The black tee was tight all around, hugging his broad chest and slightly tapered waist.

“All right. I’ll meet you there. I can only imagine what this talk of yours will be about.” Itachi noted the dull sarcasm lacing his words. The man wasn’t oblivious to the situation then.

Itachi nodded. “Thank you. I’ll see you shortly.” He turned around and walked back toward the stairs, quickly descending to the first floor and exiting through the lobby. He made his way down the sidewalk to the café and headed inside, ordering a tall black coffee and then finding a seat at one of the tables outside. After ten minutes or so, Itachi caught a glimpse of Naruto walking toward him, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. His reading glasses were hanging off the front of his shirt from his collar, and he had on a pair of sunglasses.

“Be right with you,” Naruto said as he passed, walking inside to perhaps order his own beverage. When he came out, he sat across from Itachi, setting an iced tea and a sandwich in front of him on the table. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” he said as he removed his sunglasses and slipped them into his collar next to his reading glasses. He reached for his sandwich and unwrapped it, flattening the paper to the table before picking it up and taking a large bite. Itachi shifted his eyes down to his coffee to let him swallow. “All right. You wanted to talk, so talk,” Naruto said after a moment.

Itachi looked up and cleared his throat. “First, for the sake of transparency, I’d like you to know that I did stop by your relative’s home before the library, so she may inform you of my visit.”

Naruto hummed as he chewed another bite. He swallowed and said, “Karin? Well, hopefully you didn’t piss her off too much. I don’t need her chewing my head off because you don’t have your shit straight.” He looked up at Itachi. “What do you really want to talk about?”

Itachi shook off his slight shock at Naruto’s abrasive language and shifted in his seat. “I won’t beat around the bush. How do you know my brother?” Naruto only lifted a brow as he sipped tea from his straw. “Sasuke. How do you know him?”

Naruto sat his tea down on the table. “Hm. We met a little over a week ago, at the reception.”

Itachi lifted his own brow. “So, you didn’t know him before that?”

“Nope,” Naruto answered, his attention on his sandwich as he brought it to his mouth again.

“You just randomly make out with strangers at wedding receptions?” Itachi asked with a hint of incredulity. 

Naruto looked up at him as he swallowed his bite. “We weren’t making out. Sasuke was a perfect gentleman.” He set his sandwich down. “Well, until he grabbed my dick. But up to that point, he nailed it.” Itachi was treated to a smirk as Naruto picked up his tea again.

Itachi blinked and took a moment to consider the man before him. He wasn’t used to this kind of reaction from people. Usually, at the mere mention of his name, people either became fearful or quick to please. This man, however, didn’t seem in the least intimidated. Maybe Sasuke had been right that Naruto didn’t know anything about the Uchiha family.

Composing himself, Itachi leaned back and crossed his arms. “I don’t think I need to tell you that having an affair with a married man-”

“Let me stop you right there, Mr. Uchiha,” Naruto said, his hand up to halt Itachi’s speech. Itachi almost felt his jaw drop at the interruption, not usually subjected to this treatment. “I do not sleep with married men,” he said with a slight glare, and he crossed his arms to mirror Itachi. “Don’t think it’s for some bullshit reason like me being a stand-up guy. I’m not. I just don’t like people who go back on their word.”

“So, you have no intention to sleep with Sasuke?”

Naruto’s glare was quickly replaced with an amused smirk. “I didn’t say that,” he drawled and shrugged. “Sasuke gave me his number to call him after the divorce.”

“Divorce?” Itachi asked quietly.

Naruto nodded as he uncrossed his arms and reached for his tea again. “Sasuke said in three months he could confront Sakura about the pregnancy or whatever and get divorced.”

Itachi narrowed his eyes. “Sasuke told you a lot of things, it seems.”

Naruto barked out a quick laugh. “I can only imagine how much alcohol he’d consumed even before I got there. I’m not surprised if he was a little talkative. I bet he regrets some of the things he said.”

“Well, Mr. Uzumaki, I’m here today to make sure that you’re fully aware of the situation. I urge you to give up on any thoughts of a relationship with Sasuke, as his current obligations will not be changing for the foreseeable future.”

Naruto only regarded him quietly after that statement, his eyes narrowed in thought. “So, am I hearing right that Sasuke won’t be getting a divorce? What about that fidelity clause stuff?”

Itachi had to hide his surprise again. Sasuke even told him about that?

“The fidelity clause can get Sasuke out of the marriage, that’s true,” he said carefully. “But acquiring Haruno is our father’s ultimate goal, and Haruno will never accept a divorce. So the marriage will stay in place, and the fidelity clause will be amended to speak only to the business aspects of the deal.”

Now Naruto was glaring. “So Sasuke has to stay married, but he’ll be allowed to sleep around. Is that it?”

Itachi returned the glare with a hard stare. “Basically, but my brother is not that type of person.”

“And has anyone told Sasuke this?” Naruto asked coldly as he reached into his back pocket and brought out a cigarette pack and a lighter.

“Sasuke is a smart man,” Itachi said as Naruto lit a cigarette and took a puff.

“So, let me see if I understand what you’re telling me: Sasuke, following orders from his father, dates and marries a woman he doesn’t love in order for Uchiha to get its hands on Haruno. And Sasuke – being a _smart man_ – is aware that the marriage is for keeps. So, instead of sleeping around on his wife on their wedding day – with a very willing partner, by the way – he tells said partner that he’s married but won’t be in three months, actively planning to cheat on her _later_ , despite your claims that he’s _not that type of person_. Does that sound right to you?” Naruto asked, bringing his cigarette back to his lips for another puff.

Itachi didn’t answer.

“Because it sounds to me,” Naruto said as he leaned forward and put his cigarette out in the small bit remaining of his sandwich, “Like you and Sasuke are on two different pages.” He leaned back in his chair and smirked at Itachi. “You know that saying that people want what they can’t have?”

“Yes,” Itachi answered hesitantly.

“So, yeah, obviously, if Sasuke doesn’t get divorced, it’s not going to happen between me and him. But, you know, if Sasuke gets this divorce and you insist on keeping us apart, I’m just gonna want him more.”

“I don’t understand, Mr. Uzumaki,” Itachi said, shaking his head slightly. “Why are you so insistent on what would most assuredly only be one night with my brother?”

“Well, being his brother, I’m sure his sheer hotness and fuckability is lost on you,” Naruto started, that sharp smirk still in place, “But now it’s kinda just the principle of the thing.”

“You want to sleep with my brother just to spite me?” Itachi asked, bewildered.

“Maybe,” Naruto said with a shrug. After a moment, though, he continued, “I met some of his friends the other day. They told me a lot about how Sasuke changed after he started working for his father – gave up the piano, dated a girl he didn’t like, married her. And it made me wonder – am I something that Sasuke wants so much he’ll go against his own family to have even a bit of it? If that’s the case, I’m willing to wait it out for him.”

Itachi looked down at his empty coffee cup. That was almost a nice sentiment – if it didn’t involve someone having sex with his brother.

“Hey, Mr. Uchiha, can I ask you something?” Itachi looked up with a brow quirked. “Sasuke’s friends also said that it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that Sakura pushed her dad for the merger so that she could force the marriage. Is that true?”

“Of course not,” Itachi said, holding back a scoff. “Our father had him start dating her as the starting point for the negotiations.”

Naruto furrowed his brows in thought. “So Uchiha made overtures for the merger, and the marriage contract was tacked on later?”

Itachi opened his mouth to agree when he paused because… actually, Haruno had brought up the merger talk. But that didn’t really matter. It was obvious that Uchiha wanted the company; so what that Haruno brought the idea to the table well before his father’s timeline?

“Why does it matter?” Itachi responded, but he wasn’t looking for an answer. He’d expressed his concerns, and Naruto had expressed his intentions, what little good they’d do him. Fugaku Uchiha’s word was law, and Sasuke would just have to follow it.

Naruto hummed as he reached into his other back pocket and brought out his phone, quickly texting someone before shooting a glance at Itachi. “We done?”

“Yes. Thank you for your time, Mr. Uzumaki,” Itachi said as he stood. He picked up his coffee cup and turned to leave, tossing the cup in a trashcan as he passed it.

“Tell Sasuke I said, ‘Heya, hot stuff!’” Naruto yelled behind him, and despite himself, Itachi smirked.

 

Owari

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was everything you were hoping for! There was some foreshadowing in there, yo. Feel free to comment and try to guess how this is all gonna play out. LOL Hint: Naruto is a BAMF.


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